2016 -- S 2319

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LC004186

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND

COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION

     Introduced By: Senators Lombardi, Gallo, and McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: February 09, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 11-37.1 of the General Laws entitled "Sexual Offender Registration

and Community Notification" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     11-37.1-21. Duty of shelters and homeless shelters to notify law enforcement of the

presence of sex offenders. -- (a) Any person convicted of any offense that requires sex offender

registration pursuant to this title or otherwise has a duty to register their address with the law

enforcement agency in the municipality in which they reside, shall be required, if said sex

offender is homeless, to provide their name and date of birth with any shelter or homeless shelter

at which they may stay from time to time.

     (b) The obligation of the sex offender to provide the information required in subsection

(a) of this section, shall be on a continuing daily and nightly basis and they shall provide said

information to each shelter or homeless shelter at which they take up temporary residence

regardless of the length of time they stay at such shelter.

     (c) Any employee of any shelter or homeless shelter that receives information from such

sex offender shall be required to transmit that information to the local law enforcement agency

and if there be none, to the closest Rhode Island state police barracks within one hour of the

offender registering or signing in for the day, night or any portion of a day.

     (d) Any employee of any shelter or homeless shelter that violates the provisions of this

chapter shall be punished upon conviction by imprisonment of up to five (5) years and/or a fine of

up to five thousand dollars ($5000).

     (e) Any sex offender who fails to disclose information as required by this chapter shall be

subject to the same penalties as set forth in §11-37.1-10.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND

COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION

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     This act would provide that sex offenders register their presence with any homeless

shelter at which they may temporarily stay and would provide that said shelters notify the local

law enforcement agency of the presence of said offenders within one hour of the offender signing

in for any portion of the day or night.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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